Lot 235Y
A pair of Regency rosewood library tables
Amended
20 November 2013, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£40,000 - £60,000
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A pair of Regency rosewood library tables
The rectangular tops each with a pair of real and opposing dummy frieze drawers including one fitted with a velvet-lined backgammon tray reversing to reveal a baize card playing surface, each cabochon-beaded frieze with a leaf-carved tablet to each corner, the turned and reeded end-supports with cabochon carving and gadrooning flanked by acanthus scroll brackets and headed by urn devices to each frieze, the moulded hipped cabriole legs with conforming carved decoration and paw feet with concealed castors, 127cm wide, 62cm deep, 74cm high (50in wide, 24in deep, 29in high). (2)
Footnotes
Provenance:
Supplied by Gillows to William Powlett, 2nd Baron Boulton (1782-1850) for Hackwood Park
By descent until sold in 1935 with the house to William Berry (d.1854), 1st Viscount Camrose
Thence by descent until sold Christie's Hackwood, 20-22 April, 1998, lots 48
The present pair of tables are two of four large writing-tables referenced in the 1813 Memorandum of Sundries for the Right Honble Lord Bolton Hackwood Park between Lord Bolton and Gillows (Hampshire RO, 11M49/4681) which in particular mentions backgammon trays, one of which is preserved with the offered lot. However, unlike other furniture supplied by Gillows for Hackwood in 1813, these tables are not identified in the firm's bill for furniture shipped from Lancaster to London. A possible explanation for this is the tables were supplied by the London branch of Gillows who marketed the more fashionable and advanced items of furniture produced by the company. The heavy and monumental style of the end-supports is certainly more consistent with the furniture of the George IV period and it is no coincidence therefore that the Memorandum of 1813 stipulated 'The Form of the tables to correspond with the old Furniture for the Saloon'. Hence these tables may represent one of the earliest documented examples of English 19th century rococo revival furniture.
The Memorandum of May 1813 which recorded the agreement for Gillows to supply specific furniture to Lord Boulton, included the following extract:
Among the furniture in the Saloon there was:
4 handsome Mahogany Tables to
place before the sofas 2 Drawers in
each, one of the Drawers of 2 of
the tables to (contain a b boards for Chess
and one of the drawers of the other 2
Tables to contain Back-Gammon Boards)
Interestingly the last words above contained in brackets were crossed-out and annotated in manuscript with the amendment 'Ld B will chuse these'. It appears that lord Boulton decided after all to opt for backgammon boards and possibly also chess boards even though they are now not present.
Saleroom notices
Please note: in the printed catalogue a star (*) appears to the side of the lot number, this is incorrect and what should appear is a 'y' to indicate that as this item contains rosewood it may be be subject to Cites if exported outside of the EU.